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Origin and history

The church Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Baillou, located in the eponymous village in the Centre-Val de Loire region, is a Latin cross building built in the 15th and 16th centuries. It replaces an ancient chapel whose foundation is attributed to St Julien. The local noble families, the Coutances and Courtavel, lords of Baillou, participated in his maintenance and his successive restorations, as evidenced by their coat of arms still visible in the building. The third-point bays, decorated with flamboyant fillings, as well as the 16th century stained glass windows, illustrate the influence of the late Gothic style.

The polygonal tower, added to the modern era, had a practical function: to facilitate access to the clock. The west gate, Renaissance-style and probably inspired by Italian models, is distinguished by its arch in basket handle framed with pilasters carved from animals. Above, a workable entanglement and a hooked accolade niche, flanked by pinacles, underline its monumental character. Murals, now missing, once adorned inside, erased in later restorations. The church, listed as a Historical Monument in 1948, now belongs to the municipality.

The church architecture reflects stylistic evolutions between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, with elements such as animal capitals or shell patterns typical of this transition. The 16th century stained glass windows and the coat of arms of the seigneurial families recall the central role of the building in the community and religious life of Baillou. The approximate location, noted as "a priori satisfactory", would place the church near the Mondoubleau road, in the heart of the village.

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